The Evolution of Life Histories

ISBN-13: 9780198577416 / Angielski / Miękka / 1992 / 264 str.

Stephen C. Stearns

Opis

This book is the first comprehensive summary of life-history evolution, a field that holds a central position in modern ecology, evolution, and population biology. The book offers an up-to-date description of the analytical tools used in evolutionary explanation: demographics, quantitative genetics, reaction norms, trade-offs, and phylogenetic/comparative analysis. It goes on to discuss the evolution of such major life-history traits as age and size at maturity; clutch size, reproductive investment and size of offspring; reproductive lifespan; and aging. This is an essential text for biologists wishing to understand the evolution of the life cycle and the causes of phenotypic variation in fitness. It is additionally the only book available designed specifically for teaching the subject, with problems and discussion questions at the end of each chapter.

Recenzje

One of the most beneficial actions an adviser could take for a new graduate student in evolutionary biology would be to put Stearns" book in her or his hands and say, "Read this."

Spis treści

Prologue; Part I: Evolutionary explanation; Demography: age and stage structure; Quantitative genetics and reaction norms; Trade-offs; Lineage-specific effects; Part II: Age and size at maturity; Number and size of offspring; Reproductive lifespan and ageing; Appendices; Glossary; References; Author index; Subject index.